Author: Lisa Beamer, Ken Abraham
Published: 2002
Genre: Narrative nonfiction
Rating: 2.5
Summary
A moving, behind-the-scenes story of United Flight 93 hero Todd Beamer as told by his wife Lisa. A message of character, courage, and undeniable faith in the face of horrifying tragedy. This work encourages anyone who reads it to live "real" life "right now" . . . and to have confidence and hope for the future.
Reivew
This really is about ordinary people, which sometimes didn't make for compelling reading. But their devotion and religious foundation was inspiring. And the actions of ordinary people in an extremely extraordinary situation were an amazing reminder of what a difference just a few people can make.
Notes
I completed reading this on 9/11--which was a good way to personally reflect on the experiences of 11 years ago.
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
A Hundred Flowers
Author: Gail Tsukiyama
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4
Summary
China, 1957. Chairman Mao has declared a new openness in society: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend.” Many intellectuals fear it is only a trick, and Kai Ying’s husband, Sheng, a teacher, has promised not to jeopardize their safety or that of their young son, Tao. But one July morning, just before his sixth birthday, Tao watches helplessly as Sheng is dragged away for writing a letter criticizing the Communist Party and sent to a labor camp for “reeducation.”
A year later, still missing his father desperately, Tao climbs to the top of the hundred-year-old kapok tree in front of their home, wanting to see the mountain peaks in the distance. But Tao slips and tumbles thirty feet to the courtyard below, badly breaking his leg.
As Kai Ying struggles to hold her small family together in the face of this shattering reminder of her husband’s absence, other members of the household must face their own guilty secrets and strive to find peace in a world where the old sense of order is falling.
Review
A well-crafted, story about struggles during the Cultural Revolution. The characters are flawed but empathetic, and the plot is unique.
Published: 2012
Genre: Fiction
Rating: 4
Summary
China, 1957. Chairman Mao has declared a new openness in society: “Let a hundred flowers bloom; let a hundred schools of thought contend.” Many intellectuals fear it is only a trick, and Kai Ying’s husband, Sheng, a teacher, has promised not to jeopardize their safety or that of their young son, Tao. But one July morning, just before his sixth birthday, Tao watches helplessly as Sheng is dragged away for writing a letter criticizing the Communist Party and sent to a labor camp for “reeducation.”
A year later, still missing his father desperately, Tao climbs to the top of the hundred-year-old kapok tree in front of their home, wanting to see the mountain peaks in the distance. But Tao slips and tumbles thirty feet to the courtyard below, badly breaking his leg.
As Kai Ying struggles to hold her small family together in the face of this shattering reminder of her husband’s absence, other members of the household must face their own guilty secrets and strive to find peace in a world where the old sense of order is falling.
Review
A well-crafted, story about struggles during the Cultural Revolution. The characters are flawed but empathetic, and the plot is unique.
The Secret Piano: From Mao's Labor Camps to Bach's Goldberg Variations
Author: Zhu Xiao-Mei (Ellen Hinsey, Translator)
Published: 2012
Genre: Autobiography
Rating: 4
Summary
Zhu Xiao-Mei was three years old when she saw her first piano, a cherished instrument introduced into her family's Beijing home by her mother. Soon after, she began to play, developing quickly into a prodigy who immersed herself in the work of such classical masters as Bach and Brahms. Her astonishing proficiency earned her a spot at the Beijing Conservatory at the tender age of eleven, where she began laying the foundation for a promising career as a concert pianist.
But in 1966, with the onset of the Cultural Revolution, life as she knew it ended abruptly. The Communist Party's campaign against culture forced the closure of art schools and resulted in the deportation of countless Chinese, including Xiao-Mei and her entire family. She spent five years in a work camp in Inner Mongolia, suffering under abysmal living conditions and a brutal brainwashing campaign. Yet through it all, Xiao-Mei kept her dream alive, drawing on the power of music to sustain her courage.
Review
An amazing journey of clinging to and eventually developing a musical gift despite unbelievably challenging circumstances. A fascinating, educational, inspiring, and exceptionally well-translated read.
Published: 2012
Genre: Autobiography
Rating: 4
Summary
Zhu Xiao-Mei was three years old when she saw her first piano, a cherished instrument introduced into her family's Beijing home by her mother. Soon after, she began to play, developing quickly into a prodigy who immersed herself in the work of such classical masters as Bach and Brahms. Her astonishing proficiency earned her a spot at the Beijing Conservatory at the tender age of eleven, where she began laying the foundation for a promising career as a concert pianist.
But in 1966, with the onset of the Cultural Revolution, life as she knew it ended abruptly. The Communist Party's campaign against culture forced the closure of art schools and resulted in the deportation of countless Chinese, including Xiao-Mei and her entire family. She spent five years in a work camp in Inner Mongolia, suffering under abysmal living conditions and a brutal brainwashing campaign. Yet through it all, Xiao-Mei kept her dream alive, drawing on the power of music to sustain her courage.
Review
An amazing journey of clinging to and eventually developing a musical gift despite unbelievably challenging circumstances. A fascinating, educational, inspiring, and exceptionally well-translated read.
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